Fire escape



June 28, 1938. 1.. FOSTY ET AL 2,122,315

' FIRE ESCAPE Filed June 11, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ivers 3 25 I M m J'WWW (Exam-24.14

June 28, 1938. FosTY El AL FIRE ESCAPE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 11, 1956 Patented June 28, 1938 UNITE STATES PATE'T FIRE ESCAPE Application June 11,

4 Claims.

Our. invention relates to fire escapes. more particularly having reference to escapes of a character adapted for the suspension and lowering of aperson at a regulated speed.

' One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved device by which a weight may besuspended and lowered at a regulated speed through the medium of a drum and strap, the device being more particularly adapted for use oj as an escape from an elevation in case of fire.

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanism for automatic re-winding of the strap on removal of the weight.

A still further object of the invention is to u provide an improved governor mechanism for braking the operation of the strap drum during lowering of the person.

The invention contemplates provision of a drum and a strap to be wound thereon, with I ,go spring means to be tensioned by the unwinding of, the strap and automatically operable to rewind the strap on the drum on removal of the object being lowered. There is further provided mechanism for braking the operation of the *winding drum and regulating the descent of the person or object suspended therefrom.

To this end there is provided the novel mechanism as hereinafter more particularly described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a detailed end View of a brake drum with governor mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the brake drum and governor mechanism disclosed inFigure 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view in elevation of the preferred embodiment of the device assembled.

Fig. 4 is an end view of same.

Fig. 5 is a side view in elevation of a different form of fire escape that includes the principal features. of the preferred form, certain parts of the device being illustrated sectioned.

Having reference to the drawings, there is pro-- vided a frame comprising substantially triangular end sections l and 2 which. are inverted and provide upper horizontal bars and are connected by side bars 3, the Whole forming a unitary structure within which the operating mechanism may be carried.

The end sections I and 2 include at their upper or horizontal portions ears 4 providing suitable eyes by which hook members 5 may be engaged for suspension of the device from a beam 1936, Serial 'No. 84,654

or similar projecting member that would be attached to the building in respect to which the escape is to be used, a lateral projecting arm on which the hookmembers engage being more usually employed for this purpose, such an arm being common in the art. v

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the end sections i and 2 of the frame structure carry a fixed shaft 6. The governor assembly includes a brake drum 40 with integral hub section 4| bored to be mounted onthe shaft 6 fixed thereto by a set screw 6'. Within the drum 40, spaced from the hub section 4| by an annular enlargement 42 on the shaft 6, is

a pinion 43 which is mounted to rotate on said shaft. Said pinion includes a hub section 44 to which is secured, or integrally cast, a series of radial arms 45. To each of said arms is secured a plate 46 providing ears to which are pivoted bell cranks 4848, by pins 41.

The short arms of the bell cranks attach to shoes 49 mounted slidable on the radial arms 45, said shoes being disposed in braking relation to the inner circumferential wall of the brake drum 40. The long arms of the bell cranks attach to ears 50 on governor elements 5|, said elements being in the form of spherical members as commonly used for such purposes. The elements 5! further include ears 52 to which connect springs 53 attaching to the hub sections 44, said springs being tensioned to normally hold the elements 5| with the brake shoes out of braking relation with the drum 4!).

Rotation of the governor assembly through the action of centrifugal force causes the elements 51 to travel in a path spaced from the hub 44 relative to the rate of travel of the assembly. Through the operation of the bell cranks 48 this causes the shoes 49 to be moved into braking relation'with the drum 40 and correspondingly reduce the rate of rotation of said drum.

sleeve being free to rotate thereon. Withv the sleeve 1 is cast the hub l of a gear wheel I6..

grip.

On the shaft 6 is mounted a sleeve 7-. said.

Loose on the sleeve 1 is a casing 36 secured in fixed relation to the frame structure by brace members 31. Within said casing is mounted a spring 38 having one end secured to the casing and the other end attached to the sleeve l whereby rotation of the sleeve may serve to contract said spring. The unwinding of the strap ID on drum 9, through rotation of the sleeve 1 imparts the necessary tension to spring 38 to reverse the movement of the sleeve when the Weight is. re-

moved from the strap, and causes the strap to be.

re-wound on the drum ready for use.

In the operation of the device rotation of drum 9 by the unwinding operation of the strap l0, caused by weight of a person descending by means of the escape, imparts a corresponding rotation to the sleeve 1. This in turn through gear wheels l6 and I5, shaft I4, gear wheel l1, and pinion 43, imparts. a rotary movement to the governor causing a braking action on the drum 40 by engagement of brake shoes 49, this action being designed to regulate the speed of descent to a predetermined maximum rate.

In Figure 5 is disclosed a variation of a governor for braking purposes. In this showing the pinion l8, which corresponds to pinion 43 previously described, forms an-integral part of a plate 19. The plate l9 provides at intervals pairs. of spaced ears 23, in each pair of which is pivoted an arm 2|. The arm 2| carries a governor weight 22, each of said arms being connected by a. spring 23 to a collar 24 mounted slidable on the shaft 6.

The connections of said springs to the collar may be made adjustable for variation in operation of the governor.

Slidable on the shaft 6 is a plate 25, said plate including a hub portion 26 through which a pin 2'! is passed, said pin being longitudinally slidable in suitable slots 28 in the shaft 6. To the pin 21 is secured one end of a rod 29.

On the shaft 6 is a brake plate 30 with hub section 3| carrying a transverse pin 32 longitudinally slidable in slots 33 in the shaft 6. The rod 29 connects to the pin 32 to provide for shifting the plate 30 on the shaft 6 in conformity with movement of the plate 25.

In opposing relation to the plate 30 is a plate 34 cast with the sleeve 1. The plate 30 is faced with suitable brake lining material as indicated at In the operation of this form of mechanism the unwinding operation of strap l 0 imparts a rotary movement to plate l9, causing the divergence of the arms 2|, The arms 2| include angular sections or feet 2| adapted to bear against the plate 25 and impart an endwise shifting to the rod 29.

Having described and ascertained the nature of the invention and the manner in which the same is to be used, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A device of the character described including a frame, a shaft mounted in the frame, a sleeve free to rotate on the shaft, a drum fixed on the sleeve, a weight lowering strap attached to said drum to be wound thereon, a'casing fixed in the frame loose on the sleeve, a coiled spring in the casing, said spring having one end secured to the casing and the other end attached to the sleeve, a governor mechanism mounted for rotation on the shaft, braking elements associated with the governor to be operated thereby, and a shaft and gearing forming a driving connection between the sleeve and governor mechanism.

2. A device of the character described including a frame, a shaft fixed in the frame, a sleeve free to rotate on the shaft, a. drum carried by the sleeve, a weight. lowering strap attached to the drum to be wound thereon, a governor mounted for rotation on the shaft, braking elements associated with the governor to be actuated thereby, a drum providing a braking surface for engagement by said elements, means forming a driving connection between the sleeve and governor, and spring means tensionable by the unwinding of the strap from the drum during lowering of a Weight and automatically operable on release of the weight to rotate the drum to re-wind the strap thereon.

3. In a device of the character described including a frame with shaft mounted therein, and a drum rotatable on the shaft, said drum being adapted to have a weight lowering strap wound thereon, a. governor for controlling the rotation of the drum, said governor comprising a brake drum fixed on the shaft, a hub in the brake drum rotatable on the shaft, a series of radial arms mounted on said hub, brake shoes slidable' on said arms in braking relation to the circumferential wall of the brake drum, a governor mechanism carried by said arms, means forming an operative connection between the governor mechanism and brake shoes whereby said mechanism may operate to move said shoes into braking relation with said wall, andmeans forming a driving connection between the weight lowering drum and governor.

4. In a device of the character described including a frame with a shaft mounted therein and a drum on the shaft, said drum being adapted to have a weight lowering strap wound thereon, a brake drum fixed on the shaft, a combined governor and braking mechanism in the brake drum rotatable on the shaft, said mechanism including brake shoes frictionally engageable with the brake drum, a second shaft carried in the frame,

means forming a driving connection between the weight carrying drum and second shaft, and means forming an operative connection between the second shaft and the governor and braking mechanism.

LE'IOPOLD FOSTY.

THEOPHILE LAURENT. FRANK JOSEPH, LAURENT. 

